Emile Cornelissen’s Post

I am happy to announce that my new paper from my Master’s dissertation titled "𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐛𝐚 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: 𝐚 𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲" has been published in the Catalysts MDPI journal. The study shows the enzymatic production of solketal esters from used soybean cooking oil (USCO) following a two-step process (hydroesterification). This process first comprises a hydrolysis of USCO into free fatty acids (FFAs) catalyzed by a lipase extract from 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘢 (CRL). The resulting FFAs were used as raw materials for the enzymatic production of esters via direct esterification with solketal in a solvent-free system. For such a purpose, a low-cost lipase (Eversa® Transform 2.0 – ET 2.0) was immobilized by interfacial activation on pre-treated epicarp particles from 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘢 (macauba), a lignocellulosic biomass waste, which was used as the heterogeneous biocatalyst for this esterification reaction. The esterification reaction was optimized by a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) achieving a FFAs conversion of 72.5 ± 0.8% after 150 min of reaction at 46 °C using a biocatalyst concentration of 20% wt. and FFAs:solketal molar ratio of 1:1.6. Additionally, the biocatalyst retained 70% of its original activity after ten esterification batches. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Adriano Mendes, for his guidance and unwavering belief in this project. Access this article via - https://lnkd.in/dGkZfRUQ #lipase #valorization #sustainablechemistry #agroindustrialwastes #lignocellulosic #Biotechnology

👑 We would like to share our current work, titled ‘Fabrication of multilayer cellulose filters isolated from natural biomass for air filtration for replacement of synthetic HEPA filter’, published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection (IF 6.9, Q1, Top10%) 👏 😊 🏅 This is one of several accomplishments this year, under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chularat Sakdaronnarong, Chemical Engineering, Mahidol University. 🥰 We greatly appreciate our team for this outstanding achievement. 🧪 👩🔬 🧑💻 👨🔬 🔬 This study not only enhances the value of natural lignocellulosic wastes but also presents inspiring concepts for creating biodegradable cellulose-based air filters that will pave the way to more eco-friendliness and sustainability for synthetic filter replacement. 🌴 🌎 ♻️ Access the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gFBQPXbT #Sustainability #Cellulose #Reasearch #Environmental #Airfiltration #Thailand #MahidolUniversity #ChemicalEngineering

Biodegradable sustainable soil amendments are the focus of this recent publication by Youssef Hafidi and colleagues from the groups of Markus Biel at the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen and Najim Ittobane from the Moulay Ismail University in Marocco. These hydrogels can store water and help in water management and retention. The incorporation of copper and zinc ions can provide plants with these micronutrients. A Spinsolve 60 MHz benchtop NMR spectrometer was used to analyze newly synthesized crosslinkers which were used in the formation of the hydrogels. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/eNDpt8nX #NMR #benchtopNMR #magritek #spectroscopy

📢 New Publication Alert! 🚀 We are excited to share our latest research titled "Investigation of Membrane Fouling Behaviors Triggered by Different Characteristics of Anaerobic Digestion Effluent in Membrane Distillation." 📄 This study delves into the membrane fouling behaviors induced by varying characteristics of anaerobic digestion effluents over an 851-hour membrane distillation operation. The results shed light on the development mechanisms of membrane fouling by characterizing the morphology and compositions of the fouling compounds, offering in-depth insight into controlling the membrane concentration process from an industrial perspective. Feel free to circulate it around!  🔗 https://lnkd.in/eTccgtWH #MembraneDistillation #AnaerobicDigestion #WastewaterTreatment #MembraneFouling #Research #EnvironmentalScience #WaterTreatment Faculty of Bioscience Engineering UGent Hongzhen Luo Erik Meers

Excited to announce a new publication from the #methane2pha team in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering! 😀 In this study, we investigated the effect of process parameters — such as carbon supply methods and pH control strategies - on PHBV accumulation and microbial community structure during the bioconversion of methane with enriched methanotrophic cultures. A big thank you to Aleksandra Gęsicka and co-authors Natalia Gutowska, Sivasankar Palaniappan and Piotr Oleskowicz-Popiel for their invaluable contributions! The article is available with free access until February 19, 2025 - check out the link below! I would like to reiterate my thanks to NCN National Science Centre for funding the project (https://lnkd.in/dNyW2fUX). It allowed us not only to study this exciting topic but also provided the strong foundation for further research on biovalorization of C1 gaseous substrates into biochemicals and biopolymers! 😀

Numerous industries, including oil & gas, pharmaceutical, and textile manufacturing, generate high-salinity organic wastewaters, posing serious challenges for existing treatment processes and the environment. We developed an innovative approach to treating such wastewaters by employing dialysis -- a technology borrowed from the medical field. Dialysis utilizes an ultrafiltration membrane that allows the passage of salts by diffusion while rejecting the organic substances. This technology operates without the need for hydraulic pressure, resulting in an almost fouling-free process. Our process paves the way for more sustainable and effective management of challenging wastewaters. Read more about this novel process in our recent Nature Water article (https://lnkd.in/eGBY3f-v) and the news release here: https://lnkd.in/ecqgEmQU Kudos to our collaborators Professor Zhangxin Wang, at Guangdong University of Technology, and first author Yuanmiaoliang (Selina) Chen, now a postdoctoral researcher in our group at Rice University. Rice WaTER Institute, Rice University Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

💧🔬🇺🇸 Rice University researchers, in collaboration with Guangdong University of Technology, have discovered that dialysis is highly effective for treating high-salinity organic wastewater. The technique, borrowed from medical applications, separates salts from organic substances with minimal dilution. This method addresses limitations of conventional treatments by reducing water consumption, energy costs, and fouling. The process also shows potential for resource recovery, contributing to a circular economy. Researchers found dialysis to be more efficient than ultrafiltration in separating salts from small, neutral organic molecules, offering a promising solution for challenging industrial wastewater treatment. #water #watercrisis #tech #watertech #innovation #future #sustainability #environment #technology #research #texas #houston https://lnkd.in/gTxUsMBa

📢 I am happy to share that our new publication has been featured in "Wiley #Small Journal (I.F.: 13)" Title: "Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Polymer Wrapped MWCNT Electrodes under Moderate Salt Concentration for Super-Stable Aqueous Sodium-Ion Intercalated Sustainable Supercapacitors." 😍 😍 🤩 Thank you, Prof. M. Sankar, Department of Chemistry, IIT Roorkee To rival commercial organic electrolytes, it is important to focus on safe, cheap aqueous electrolytes with lower salt concentration (≈5.0 m) and a wider electrochemical stable potential window (ESPW). We employed a moderate salt concentration (≈5.0 M) to achieve both high performance and sustainability. Using a one-pot synthesis, we developed porphyrin-based covalent organic polymers (COPs) and noncovalently wrapped them around multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These electrodes demonstrated remarkable performance, including high capacitance, an impressive energy density of 37.3 Wh kg⁻¹, and exceptional cycling stability with 100% capacitance retention after 20,000 cycles. #IIT Roorkee #Research #Supercapacitors #EnergyStorage #Sustainability #Porphyrin #AqueousElectrolytes #MaterialsScience #Innovation

 Exciting News! I am thrilled to announce that our latest research paper, "Tunable Wettability of a Dual-Faced Covalent Organic Framework Membrane for Enhanced Water Filtration," has been accepted for publication in the prestigious Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS)!   I am glad to have had equal first authorship with Dr Farah Benyettou on this challenging and interesting project led by Professor Ali Trabolsi, PI of the Trabolsi Research Group and Co-PI at the NYUAD Water Research Center.  Research Highlights: - Innovative Approach: Developed a rapid, microwave-assisted method to synthesize self-standing COF membranes in minutes. - Enhanced Filtration: Achieved superhydrophilic and near-hydrophobic properties for efficient water filtration, high water flux, and complete oil removal. This study represents a significant advancement in membrane technology and addresses the urgent need for sustainable water purification methods.  Read the full paper here:  https://lnkd.in/dYGEi57Y Join us in celebrating this milestone and stay tuned for more innovative research from our team! #WaterResearch #JACS #COFMembranes #SustainableTechnology #MicrowaveAssistedSynthesis #WaterPurification

New paper alert! 🔔 Incredibly pleased to announce that the final research paper conducted during my PhD has been published in the Journal of Cleaner Production! You can find the article here: https://lnkd.in/gRsvecSC This work, titled "Using process modeling and simulation to determine the sustainability of a novel lactic acid biorefinery in Europe: Influence of process improvements, scale, energy source, and market conditions", investigated the potential economic and environmental impacts of developing a lactic acid #biorefinery in Denmark utilizing a novel mixture of candy factory waste and liquid digestate as feedstock. Lab-scale experimental data for fermentation of this novel feedstock and downstream membrane-based purification was first generated by my collaborators Eleftheria Papadopoulou (DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering), Mayuki Cabrera-Gonzalez (Vienna University of Technology), and Daniela Reif (Vienna University of Technology). This data was then used for modeling and simulation, where several scenarios were considered applying different process improvements, upscaling, and bioenergy integration. Impacts on the capital costs, operating costs, and greenhouse gas emissions were quantified using #LCA methodology, finding that while environmental performance could be improved with bioenergy integration, upscaling had mixed results on economic performance, as upscaling reduced capital costs but increased feedstock transport costs. Furthermore, process improvements could significantly lower operating costs, but could increase capital costs through additional equipment, which may not be worth it at smaller scales. Finally, a sensitivity analysis considering a broader European context showed that the market conditions found in different regions and at different times could significantly impact the sustainability of the biorefinery. Ultimately, this paper demonstrates an important theme in my PhD thesis, which is that determining the sustainability of biorefineries is complex and ever-changing. Nevertheless, such assessments can be considered as important markers of understanding in our ongoing quest for a more sustainable world. This work was supported under the AgRefine MCSA ITN and conducted at UCD School of Biosystems & Food Engineering with affiliation to BiOrbic, Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre. Many thanks to the other co-authors Maneesh Mediboyina, Joseph Sweeney, Michael Harasek and Fionnuala Murphy, whose guidance and supervision were essential in producing this paper.